Self-adjusting bridge for viol instruments



May 26, 1964 D. JAQUITH 3,134,237

SELF ADJUSTING BRIDGE FOR VIQL INSTRUMENTS Filed April 27, 1959 n 20 g22 j i 3 I J 5 vl/zwmw 3 I 4 Douglcz s cl'aquifh INVENTOR FIHys.

1 bridge indicated generally at 22.

. r 3,134,28 SELF-ADJUSTINGBRIDGE FOR VIOL' INSTRUMEN Douglas Jaquith,Salem, Oreg. (10302 Ilona Ave., Los Angeles, Calif.) Filed Apr. 27,1959, Ser. No. 809,096 3 Claims. (Cl. 84-309) This invention relates'toa construction for the bridge of instruments of the viol class thatspaces the strings of the instrument away from the instrument body.

This invention has as its principal object the provision of a bridge forsuch an instrument that may be easily fitted to the instrument, and thatonce fitted rests firmly on the body of the instrument with tightcontact between the bridge and the instrument body.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a bridgefor a viol instrument that has pivoted foot support therefor, theprovision of the pivots enabling the feet to move so as to conformthemselves to the contour of the instrument body. The particular pivotconstruction employed enables the use ofconventional and establishedmaterials in the manufacture of the bridge. The construction also makespossible easy replacement of broken parts.

Other features and objects of the invention will become apparent as thefollowing description is read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a violin provided with the bridge of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a view, slightly enlarged, of one face of the bridge; FIG. 3is a view of one edge of the bridge; and

FIG. 4 is a section view, on an enlarged scale, and taken along the line4-4 in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, indicates generally a violin, suchinstrument being exemplary of instruments of the violclass. The violincomprises body 11, a scroll 12, a peg box 14, a finger board 16 andtailpiece 18. Extending between the tailpiece at one end of the violinand the pegs mounted in the peg board at the other end are the usualviolin strings 20. These strings are spaced intermediate their ends fromthe body of the violin by a Considering now the construction of bridge22, and referring now more particularly to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4,.the bridgecomprises a standard 26 which is a flat-sided piece ordinarily made ofmaple or other wood and having an arcuate top edge 28 which supports theindividual violin strings. At. the base in substantially the plane ofthe standard are a pair of spaced supports 30. These mount the standardon the violin body and space it slightly outwardly therefrom. Thestandard as is conventional, tilts slightly, with its upper edge leaningtoward the tailpiece of the violin. Thus, in FIG. 3 the line 31 isperpendicular tothe body of the violin, and standard 26 inclinesslightly away from this perpendicular.

Each support 30 is provided with an elongated foot porton 32 extendingsubstantially in the plane of the standard. These arethin and havea'degree of flexibility. The foot portions have concavely curved bottomsurfaces 33 that are slightly over-bowed relative to the curvatureUnited States Patent Office of the violin body (see the dotted outlinein FIG. 2). 1

When the bridge is mounted on the violin body and pressure exertedthereon, .the en'ds'lof thefoot portions flex outwardly so that theentire length of each fits snugly against the instrument.

A tight, snug fit between the bridge "and violin body is j furtherfacilitated by mounting the foot portions so that they are .pivotablerelative ;to the standard portion of the,

bridge. This. enables each to swing in the direction re- I quired topermit the ends andcenter of thefootportion to '1 Patented May 26, 1964come into full contact with the violin body. Thus each foot portion hasintegral therewith a cylindrically rounded mounting portion 34. This isrounded over an arc of substantially more than half a circle and acts asa journal portion in the pivot construction. Cut into the base edge 27of standard 26 are rounded cutouts 36. These are more than half roundbut less than full circle, and are complementary to portions 34. Thecutouts snugly encompass portions 34 and function as bearing portions.Rounded mounting portions 34 are inserted into cutout 36 by moving themlaterally into a position of alignment. Since each cutout arcs over anangle that is substantially greater than degrees, separation of thepieces cannot occur in directions parallel to the plane of the standard.The rounded portions 34 fit snugly into the cutouts and friction presentinhibits lateral separation. As already noted, the standard tiltsslightly toward the tailpiece of the violin. The supports when pivotingto fit axes that are parallel to the surface of the violin body.

Thus each portion 34 and its complementary cutout is formed toaccommodate pivotal movement about an axis such as that indicated at 38in FIG. 4 that in a vertical plane extends obliquely to the plane ofstandard 28, the latter being indicated at 40. Axis 38 is the centeraxis in FIG. 4 of the cylindrically rounded mounting portion 34 shown.

Using the bridge construction described, it is an easy matter to mount abridge firmly on the body of a violin with the-supports thereforengaging snugly and through out their length the top of the violin. Thisis produced without the necessity of having to shape each bridge to eachviolin. The rounded portions 34 of the foot portions provide an enlargedpivot for the foot portions of considerable strength. The bridge maybemade entirely of wood, and a broken foot support is easily replaced.

It is clalmed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

'1. For a viol instrument, a bridge comprising an upright standard, andsupports at the base of the standard occupying substantially the planeof the standard for supporting the standard over the body of suchinstrument, said supports including elongated feet with concave bottomsurfaces and having resilient and flexible ends, said bottom surfacesbeing over-bowed relative to the curvature of the body of theinstrument, and pivot means connecting said supports to the standard,the flexibility of the feet enabling them to yield when the bridge ismounted on an instrument so that their bottom surfaces have a curvatureconforming to the curvature of the body of the instrument.

2. A bridge for an instrument of the viol class corn-,

rounded over an are that is more than half round but less than'fullcircle, and at the base of the standard a bearing portion complementingthe journal portion rounded over an are that is more than half round butless than full circle I and opened at the base of the standard, saidbearing portion rotatably mounting said journal portion.

3. A bridge for an instrument of the viol class comprisingasubstantially upright standard, supportsfor the standar'dfat either'endand adjacent the base thereof, and

pivot means connecting the supports to the standard, the pivotmeans foreach support comprising a cylindrically curved journal portion curvingover an angle that is greater than 180 and less than 360 and about anaxis extending obliquely to the plane of the standard, said journalportion being integral with and carried above the support and in theplane of the standard, and at the base 7 References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES. PATENTS Wendell Mar. 26, 1929 Schroder Nov'.26, 1929 Lundback Dec. 20, 1949 Melita Mar. 26,1957" Vlallace Aug.13,1957

1. FOR A VIOL INSTRUMENT, A BRIDGE COMPRISING AN UPRIGHT STANDARD, ANDSUPPORTS AT THE BASE OF THE STANDARD OCCUPYING SUBSTANTIALLY THE PLANEOF THE STANDARD FOR SUPPORTING THE STANDARD OVER THE BODY OF SUCHINSTRUMENT, SAID SUPPORTS INCLUDING ELONGATED FEET WITH CONCAVE BOTTOMSURFACES AND HAVING RESILIENT AND FLEXIBLE ENDS, SAID BOTTOM SURFACESBEING OVER-BOWED RELATIVE TO THE CURVATURE OF THE BODY OF THEINSTRUMENT, AND PIVOT MEANS CONNECTING SAID SUPPORTS TO THE STANDARD,THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE FEET ENABLING THEM TO YIELD WHEN THE BRIDGE ISMOUNTED ON AN INSTRUMENT SO THAT THEIR BOTTOM SURFACES HAVE A CURVATURECONFORMING TO THE CURVATURE OF THE BODY OF THE INSTRUMENT.